I'm just wondering if anyone uses Dropbox and can explain it to me? I'm copying files back and forth between a laptop and desktop computer at the moment and it's a really awkward system. Something like Dropbox seems like it might be a good idea, but I'm not up on this kind of thing at all and can't really get my head around how it works and if it would be right for me.

(P.S. I do back-up my files on an external hard drive and usb drives as well. Just looking for a more sensible, efficient way of having the same, up-to-date versions of documents on both computers.)

Thank you in advance!

Hi. I have used Drop box, and I find it really great to share files/folders between different computers. Basically at home you have a folder (mine is on the desktop), which is similar to other folders. You simply open it and drag and drop files/folders in it. Or else if you are working on it you save in it. When you go to another computer where the programme is installed, you would have a similar folder. If you go on another PC where drop box is not installed you can log in online and find everything there. I also use the option of having files/folders which are shared with other people using drop box.
However there are other ways to achieve this I would imagine. For me however it works, especially to share large files, which would not be possible to share via email.

I use logme in to access my home computer when I am at work or in the university library (usually because I have left my data stick in the home computer).

Thank you, Jepsonclough and Ailicec, for your helpful feedback. I was imagining something which would work for all my PhD documents, rather than just what I'm immediately working on but that maybe that's not a good idea. I'll have to give this more thought!

My supervisor has suggested I use dropbox for my thesis as this is getting very large to send and this way he can access the current version for reading/editing purposes. I am just writing the last discussion chapter so I am getting close to the editing/tweaking phase, woohoo! When you share a file can they edit it without me seeing what has changed? Or do changes made by a shared access resemble something like 'track changes'? I am saving a back-up to an external drive to make sure he doesn't accidently delete it all, arghh! It seems a good idea but wanted to check for any possible pitfalls. Any one else shared their thesis with supervisors via dropbox?

Hi
This is another option, which my husband uses for all his stuff as he's a freelancer and uses lots of different computers. It's a bit more sophisticated than the Dropbox idea, I think. Although it does cost, as a result: https://www.sugarsync.com/

Hi Fig - I have been using Dropbox for about a month, ever since I read about it in the Chronicle for Higher Ed. I have accessed it via hom PC, laptop, as well as uni computer on on the road in an airport and it has worked like a dream BUT I have not really read all the documentation, and so feel a little nervous about having something so important to me "OUT THERE" I routinely back up, too! External hardrive, portable harddrrive; files on UNI server.

But what's great about Dropbox is that everythign syncs so well. It isn't "back up " -- it's seamless. My sister didn't like the idea of giving the company access to your files either, but I don't think anyone is interested in 17th religious propaganda, so my dissertation's safe!

Give it a try! It's easy to get started.

I use Dropbox and absolutely love it. I have found that the easiest way to use it is to have it as your master directory. I dumped my entire folder named 'PhD' in it, and also all of my photos. This means that every time I work on a document or spreadsheet and save it, it automatically syncs to my other computer, and the online backup.

Lgw - have your shared your PhD file with your supervisor? I have with one of my supervisors so he can see an up-to-date version when he reviews it. We will be editing soon so if you make a change does it show up when you go back into it? Bit concerned changes could be made without me knowing it lol.